Modi Asks Putin to End the War in Ukraine
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India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has publicly urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring the war in Ukraine to an end.
Modi's comments were unusual because India and Russia have long been close allies. The two countries have strong trade and defence ties.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has continued for years, causing many deaths and much destruction.
BBC correspondents in Delhi and Moscow have looked closely at why Modi decided to make this appeal so publicly.
India has stayed mostly neutral during the war. It has not clearly blamed Russia for the fighting.
At the same time, India has good relationships with Western countries, including the United States and members of the European Union.
Some experts think Modi's public plea shows growing pressure on India to appear more balanced on the world stage.
Others believe Modi genuinely wants the war to end because it affects global stability and the economy.
It is still unclear whether Putin will respond positively to Modi's request.
Russia has continued its military actions in Ukraine despite calls from many other countries to stop.
The BBC report raises the key question of whether India's influence is enough to change Putin's decisions.
Many world leaders are watching closely to see how Russia responds to Modi's comments.
India's relationship with Russia includes major purchases of Russian oil and weapons, giving it some leverage.
However, it remains uncertain if this leverage will be enough to persuade Putin to change his approach to the war.
Vocabulary10 words
- allies
- countries that support and help each other
- neutral
- not taking any side in a conflict
- plea
- a strong, serious request
- influence
- the power to affect what someone else does
- correspondent
- a reporter who covers news from a specific place
- defence ties
- connections between countries related to military and weapons
- leverage
- power used to influence someone's decision
- stability
- a stable, calm and safe situation
- appeal
- a public request asking for something important
- destruction
- very serious damage
Quiz
Answer key
1. End the war in Ukraine 2. India and Russia are long-standing allies 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has publicly urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring the _____ in Ukraine to an end.
Modi's comments were unusual because India and Russia have long been close _____. The two countries have strong trade and defence ties.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has continued for years, causing many deaths and much _____.
BBC _____ in Delhi and Moscow have looked closely at why Modi decided to make this appeal so publicly.
India has stayed mostly _____ during the war. It has not clearly blamed Russia for the fighting.
At the same time, India has good relationships with Western countries, including the United States and members of the European Union.
Some experts think Modi's public _____ shows growing pressure on India to appear more balanced on the world stage.
Others believe Modi genuinely wants the war to end because it affects global _____ and the economy.
It is still unclear whether Putin will respond positively to Modi's _____.
Russia has continued its military actions in Ukraine despite calls from many other countries to stop.
The BBC report raises the key question of whether India's _____ is enough to change Putin's decisions.
India's relationship with Russia includes major purchases of Russian oil and weapons, giving it some _____.
Discussion questions
- Why might Modi have chosen to make this appeal so publicly rather than privately?
- How could India's close ties with both Russia and Western countries affect its role in the conflict?
- What kind of influence, if any, do you think countries like India have over the actions of larger powers like Russia?
- Do you think Modi's appeal will change Putin's approach to the war? Why or why not?
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